HMS St Albans, a Type 23 frigate, returned from a six-month deployment to the Middle East where she spent much of her time policing busy shipping lanes and providing security for the region alongside other coalition forces.

During her time in the Gulf she took part in a number of multinational exercises with other navies from the Gulf States to further strengthen national ties within the region and protect British interests in an invaluable region for British commerce.

HMS St Albans' Commanding Officer, Commander Tom Sharpe, said:

"What this deployment lacked in glamour it has made up for in sustained productivity, grit and influence. The ship has been quietly operating in the Gulf area, reassuring, deterring, exercising, and generally doing all the diplomacy activities that the Royal Navy has contributed to the region for many years.

"However, maintaining the focus and skills required to swing immediately to the other end of the scale was the challenge of the trip and I am proud of the way my ship's company achieved this through the heat of the Arabian summer."

In contrast to the heat of the Gulf, Type 42 destroyer HMS Edinburgh came home from cooler climates following a six-month deployment to the South Atlantic. Her first deployment after emerging from a £17.5m refit, HMS Edinburgh began her tour in Lisbon, Portugal, reinforcing the strong relations held with the Portuguese Government....